{"product_id":"the-historical-david-the-real-life-of-an-invented-hero-isbn-9780062188311","title":"The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero","description":"\u003cp\u003eJoel Baden, a leading expert on the Old Testament, offers a controversial look at the history of King David, the founder of the nation of Israel whose bloodline leads to Jesus, challenging prevailing popular beliefs about his legend in \u003cem\u003eThe Historical David.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBaden makes clear that the biblical account of David is an attempt to shape the events of his life politically and theologically. Going beyond the biblical bias, he explores the events that lie behind the David story, events that are grounded in the context of the ancient Near East and continue to inform modern Israel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Historical David\u003c\/em\u003e exposes an ambitious, ruthless, flesh-and-blood man who achieved power by any means necessary, including murder, theft, bribery, sex, deceit, and treason. As Baden makes clear, the historical David stands in opposition not only to the virtuous and heroic legends, but to our very own self-definition as David’s national and religious descendants.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProvocative and enlightening, \u003cem\u003eThe Historical David\u003c\/em\u003e provides the lost truth about David and poses a challenge to us: how do we come to terms with the reality of a celebrated hero who was, in fact, similar to the ambitious power-players of his day?\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eDavid is one of the most celebrated characters in the Bible. We know him as the brave young man who defeated Goliath, the first king of a united Israel, the composer of the beloved Psalms, and, for Christians, the messianic forerunner to Jesus. And yet for all the glory we attribute to David's legend, the historical reality is both fascinating and disturbing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Historical David\u003c\/em\u003e, Joel Baden reveals that, in David's case, the Bible is political spin, \"the goal of which is to absolve David of any potential guilt and to show him in a positive light.\" Through deep textual analysis, Baden reveals how the historical David has been painstakingly and successfully diminished, replaced by the portrait of a glorious king we are now familiar with.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo question David's legend opens up a debate about what it means to be a descendant of David—be it nationally, ethnically, or religiously. In \u003cem\u003eThe Historical David\u003c\/em\u003e, Baden confronts this challenge, bringing the historical David vibrantly to life, and ultimately revealing that the flesh-and-blood man was far more complex and interesting than the mythical king.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“This is an invigoratingly grown-up reading of the Bible, taking it seriously but not literally.  Baden treats the biblical narratives of David as informative history based in reality, but thereby also sees them for the near-contemporary propaganda accounts that they are.  David emerges no longer as the author of the Psalms or the slayer of Goliath, yet Baden’s scholarly analysis leaves the usurper-King as one of the most crucial shapers of world history in the last three millennia.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford, author of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An invigoratingly grown-up reading of the Bible, taking it seriously but not literally.... David emerges no longer as the author of the Psalms or the slayer of Goliath, yet Baden’s scholarly analysis leaves the usurper-King as one of the most crucial shapers of world history.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford, author of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Reading between and behind the lines of the biblical text and its silences, Baden gives an engaging reconstruction of who the true David may have been. This is a brilliant synthesis, with some unexpected and even daring twists of interpretation. A tour de force!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMichael Coogan, Harvard Divinity School lecturer, Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum and editor of The New Oxford Annotated Bible\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“All praise be—again—to those biblical studies scholars who can make ancient history matter and can shed light on long–held beliefs. In clear prose and with a documented command of what others have said before him, Baden offers a provocative reinterpretation of one of Western culture’s heroes.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In \u003ci\u003eThe Historical David\u003c\/i\u003e, Joel Baden both accomplishes that reconstruction superbly and exemplifies how it should be done anywhere else within the biblical (and many other) traditions. He succeeds positively, powerfully, and persuasively in locating Israel’s once and future king as an actual historical figure. The multiple layers of fact and fiction, history and theology are cleanly and clearly distinguished but without either modern apologetics or contemporary polemics.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJohn Dominic Crossan, author of The Historical Jesus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[Baden] succeeds positively, powerfully, and persuasively in locating Israel’s once and future king as an actual historical figure. The multiple layers of fact and fiction, history and theology are cleanly and clearly distinguished but without either modern apologetics or contemporary polemics.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJohn Dominic Crossan, author of The Historical Jesus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Joel Baden’s lively account of David’s reign is at once a defence of the historicity of the founding father of the Davidic dynasty and a deconstruction of the biblical narrative that shows how much of it is either fabricated or exaggerated. This is a provocative book that raises questions about the nature of biblical narrative and also about the historical continuity of the Davidic line.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJohn J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale University\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This revisionist take on King David—as brilliant politician but despicable human being—combines the best of historical study and literary imagination. Baden’s challenge to traditional understandings of Israel’s king is always provocative, often compelling, and completely fascinating.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAmy-Jill Levine, Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University and author of The Misunderstood Jew\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Lively.…This is a provocative book that raises questions about the nature of biblical narrative and also about the historical continuity of the Davidic line.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJohn J. Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament, Yale University\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“For readers open to debating this beloved biblical figure, \u003ci\u003eThe Historical David\u003c\/i\u003e will make compelling reading.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eArkansas Democrat-Gazette\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUtterly fascinating and written with sublime lucidity. - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist, starred review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperOne","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44889421676773,"sku":"NP9780062188311","price":26.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062188311.jpg?v=1730231221","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-historical-david-the-real-life-of-an-invented-hero-isbn-9780062188311","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}